Russian Armenian businessman and philanthropist Samvel Karapetyan’s arrest in Armenia violates both written and unwritten laws, lawyer Aram Vardevanyan told a press conference Friday.

“This is an unprecedented, shameful, illegal, fabricated persecution. This illegal arrest has continued for 177 days,” the lawyer emphasized, adding that law in Armenia has ceased to function ever since June 17, and the highest-ranking official in the country—that is, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan—has carried out Facebook justice.

This, in essence, shows a disrespectful attitude toward the law, and the concept of the rule of law has been violated in Armenia since June 17, Vardevanyan said.

The lawyer noted that the prosecution and investigators are working jointly in Karapetyan’s case, but even working together, they cannot present any evidence to justify his arrest.

Vardevanyan claimed that judges in Armenia are unable to administer justice because of the prevailing atmosphere of pressure in the country, and they cannot be independent. “But this has nothing to do with the law. International experience shows many cases where judges remain independent even when facing the strongest pressure.”

But all cases have written decisions, and all claims of pressure mean nothing compared to the signature on the decision. “The principle of irreversibility of accountability is in effect,” Vardevanyan emphasized.

He recalled that these events are being closely monitored abroad, and the situation will have consequences. It is unfortunate that these will affect all of Armenia, the lawyer said, and added that there is a direct political decision by the Armenian authorities to pressure and humiliate the Armenian Apostolic Church, and Samvel Karapetyan has become an obstacle to it.

Aram Vardevanyan reminded that Karapetyan is wanted by Azerbaijani authorities and has already been in Armenian prison for 177 days.

According to him, the second part of the issue concerns the Electric Networks of Armenia (ENA) company, and Karapetyan is in prison to make it easier for the authorities to seize ENA.

Also, the lawyer emphasized that Samvel Karapetyan has no connection to the case that was the subject of investigation Thursday at the Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) representation in Armenia’s capital, Yerevan. “If the investigation were not secret, the documents would be publicized. We have a document noting that Samvel Karapetyan has no connection to this case, and there are testimonies confirming the same. The investigative body and the court know this. Four court decisions have confirmed that there is no connection,” the lawyer said.

Aram Vardevanyan reiterated that the 53 investigators handling Karapetyan’s case, instead of dropping it, are inventing various measures. According to the lawyer, since November 18, they have been able to deny four defense motions regarding implementing the measures they themselves requested, which amounts to 177 days of complete inaction.